The prior art recognizes the problems associated with the use of a chimney and in particular with the use of a chimney which connects with a fireplace which opens into a habitable area. The problems are associated with rain, insects, animals, birds, that ofen enter a home or other building through an open chimney when the associated fireplace is not in use.
Another problem is that heat is lost through an open chimney during the winter months when the fireplace is not in use. In some some instances an internal damper system is provided to close off the chimney from the inside when the fireplace is not in used to prevent heat loss but internal dampers do not exclude either rain, animals, or birds, from the balance of the chimney. Thus if an animal is located in a chimney which is provided with an internal damper, and the internal damper is opened in order to start a fire in the associated fireplace, then the animal has an opportunity to enter the living area.
The prior art shows various means for closing a chimney or flue when it is not in use. Some prior arrangements are shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,307 Lyemance; U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,502 Rainey; U.S. Pat. No. 2,856,839 Soderberg; as well as U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,832 Hinkle; and U.S. Pat. No. 377,939 Sailors. The present invention provides a chimney cap arrangement which allows selective closure of the flue outlet from a chimney by use of a biased cap where the cap is received on a frame and seal means are provided between the cap and the frame so that when the cap is drawn downwardly the cap and the frame provide a close to prevent access by animals birds, or even rain. A bias arrangement such as spring arrangement is provided to urge the cap upwardly away from the frame and a draw means such as a chain or cord is provided to allow the cap to be drawn into engagement with the frame from the associated fireplace. The bias means can include a spring which can be arranged as described hereinafter to prevent access to the chimney by larger animals or birds even when the cap is open without restricting the draw of the chimney.
Devices within the scope of the present invention have been found to be highly effective and are relatively inexpensive inasmuch as the features of the present invention permit inexpensive fabrication of the associated parts. Arrangements within the scope of the present invention are also extremely effective in preventing the entry of windblown water.
The prior art recognizes the problems associated with the use of chimney caps particularly in very cold wet weather where there is some likelihood that the cap would freeze onto an associated frame. Devices in accordance with the present invention also provide a hammer arrangement which supplies more than adequate force necessary to break the cap away from the frame in the event ice is formed between the cap and the frame.
Another feature in accordance with the present invention provides a seal arrangement which minimizes the likelihood of the formation of ice between the cap and the frame but even where such ice does form the formation of the ice is minimized to facilitate the release of the cap from the frame.
More particularly, the present invention provides a chimney cap to selectively cover the outlet from the flue of a chimney which includes an open frame of selected geometric configuration located at the top of the chimney flue around the outlet, a cap to substantially cover the opening defined by the frame, bias device to bias the cap to a position separated from the frame, where a seal is provided to seal the cap and the frame when the cap is located contiguous to the frame. A guide arrangement can be provided to guide the cap toward the frame to selectively locate the seal of the cap and the seal surface of the frame. A draw device can be provided to pass through the chimney flue to allow the cap to be drawn to engagement with the frame and a latch can be provided to receive the draw means to hold the cap in engagement with the frame against the bias force.
Examples within the scope of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinafter but it will be understood that the examples shown and described herein are by way of example only and not by way of limitation.